Packaging machine for compressible commodities



Aug. 10, 1948. A. G. HAUCK 2,446,762

PACKAGING MACHINE FOR COMPRESSIBLE COMMODITIES Filed Jan. 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NI/6747012 Arm/n 6 Haua Arrows Er 0,1948. A. G. HAUCK 2,446,762

PACKAGING MACHINE FOR COMPRESSIBLE COMMODITIES Filed Jan. 6, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J66 .Z'm/z/vroe 94 firm/n 6. Hal/( HTTOEIYEY A. G. HAUCK Aug. w, 1948.

PACKAGING MACHINE FOR COMPRESSIBLE COMMODITIES Filed Jan. 6, 1945 3 She ts-Sheet 5 ww m k 8 [ML e'NTo/z Hrm/n G. Haua Patented Aug. 10, 1948 PACKAGING MACHINE FOR COMPRESSIBLE COMMODITIES Armin G. Hauck, Quincy, Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 6, 1945, Serial No. 571,581 Claims. (01. are-101) This invention relates to a packaging machine and particularly to a machine for packaging compressible commodities.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved packaging machine having provision for compressing the commodity to be packaged preparatory to inserting the compressed commodity into a container and which is particularly adapted for use in packaging dehydrated foods.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the packaging machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a packaging machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view or the rotary carrier to be hereinafter referred to; and Figs. 4,

5 and 6 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 44, 55 and 6-6 of Fig. 3, respectively.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improved packaging machine particularly adapted for packaging compressible commodities which in their loose and expanded condition occupy a space many times greater than the capacity of the container. In the illustrated machine embodying the present invention, thematerial to be packaged is deposited ,in its expanded condition into an elongated hollow sleeve having an internal cross sectional area preferably slightly less than the corresponding area of the carton to be filled and forming a column of the material many times greater in height than the height of the container. The material is then initially compressed within the sleeve to an extent suflicient to allow for subsequent upward expansion so that when it arrived at the final compressing station the partially compressed material is within the sleeve. At the latter station the material within the sleeve is subjected to pressure exerted upon the top and bottom or the material simultaneously until it occupies a space considerably less in height than the height or the container so that upon subsequent longitudinal expansion thereof prior to being ejected from the sleeve the material will not have attained a height greater than the height of Said container. The compressed and partially expanded material is then ejected into a container supported beneath the sleeve at the ejecting station, and, in practice, the container is immediately closed and sealed to arrest expansion of the. material beyond the top of the container. Within a relatively short time thereafter, the material expands in all directions to completely fill the container.

Referring now to the drawings, the present in- -vention is illustrated as embodied in a packaging machine having an intermittently rotatable carrier plate l0 provided with a plurality of equally spaced upstanding elongated hollow sleeves l2 having flanged portions l4 attached to the carrier plate by bolts [6. .The lower ends of the sleeves l2 are received in openings in the carrier plate ill and terminate substantially flush with the underside thereof as shown, and the plate In is rotated in contiguous engagement with a stationary plate ill by which the lower end of the sleeve is closed during its intermittent movement from one station of operation to the next. The stationary plate i8 is supported upon a bracket 20 secured to the machine frame. The carrier plate I0 is secured by a flange 22 to the upper end of a vertical shaft 24 journaled in a bearing formed in the bracket 20 and is intermittently rotated by connections including bevel gears 26, 28 the latter forming part of an indexing device indicated generally at 30 to be hereinafter more fully described.

, In general, during the operation of the machine, the carrier-plate i0 is rotated to move a hollow sleeve l2 into the material depositing station A, see Fig. 3, where a predetermined amount of the compressible commodity in its loose and expanded condition is deposited into the elongated sleeve i2 and into a funnel extension 32 disposed in alignment'with the upper end thereof. The funnel extension 32, as herein shown, forms the lower end of a funnel 34 through which the material is guided as received from a receptacle 36 of a weighing scale 38, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. In practice, the loosely deposited material fills the sleeve l2 and the. funnel extension 32 to form a column of the material having a cross sectional area somewhat less than the container into which it is to be subsequently deposited and of a height many times greater than the height of said container; some materials forming a column approximately five times the height of the container.

In order to confine the material entirely within the sleeve l2 provision is made for initially compressing the material to clear the funnel extension 32 at the material depositing station. For this purpose an elongated tamping bar. 40 is provided which is arranged to be vertically reciprocated through the funnel extension 32 to press the column of material down preferably below the top of the hollow sleeve I2. As herein shown, the tamping bar 40 is attached to a slide member 42 vertically reciprocable in a bracket 44 and which is connected by a link 46 to the outer end of a lever 48 pivotally mounted at 50 in the bracket 44. Intermediate its ends the lever 48 is connected by a link 52 to a cam lever 64 rockingly mounted on a cross shaft 56 and provided with a roller 58 cooperating with a cam 60 fast on a cam shaft 62. The cam 60 may and preferably will be designed to effect at least two tamping strokes per cycle of operation in order to assure that the funnel 32 is entirely cleared and to confine the material in the sleeve I2.

It has been found in practice that the material thus initially compressed into the sleeve I2 is subject to expansion upon being relieved of the pressure of the tamping bar 40. In order to compensate for such expansion the material is preferably tamped down a sufficient distance below the top of the sleeve so that subsequent expansion during its travel to the next station of operation will not cause the level of the material 'to rise above the top of the sleeve. During the initial compressing operation and also during subsequent movement of the filled sleeve to the next station of operation, the bottom of the column of material rests against the stationary plate I8 which closes the lower end of the funnel I2, as best shown in Fig. 4.

At station E, comprising the final compressing station. the material within the sleeve is subjected to pressure from above and from below simultaneously in order to effect compression thereof to a height substantially less than the height of the container so that subsequent expansion of the material prior to insertion into the container at the next station of operation will not be greater than the height of the container and, in practice, the material is compressed to a height approximately one half the height of the container.

As herein shown, the pressure against the top of the material is effected by a plunger 64 which is mounted to be vertically reciprocated in the sleeve I 2. The plunger 64 is attached to a bracket 66 carried by two parallel cross shafts 68, 10 and the latter are supported Eat their ends in slide member 12, I4 arrangedto be vertically reciprocated in brackets 16, 18 attached to the machine frame. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the lower cross shaft 10 isconnected at its ends by links 80, 82 to crank arms 84, 86 attached to the outer ends of a crank shaft 88.

The pressure against the bottom of the material in the sleeve is effected by an opposing plunger 90 mounted to be elevated through an opening 92 in the stationary plate I8 and up into the lower end of the sleeve I2. As herein shown, the plunger 90 is slidingly supported in a bracket 94 secured to the machine frame, the bracket also forming a central bearing for the crank shaft 88 and the lower end of the bracket being extended and secured to a tie rod 96 to provide a rigid support for the bracket. The lower end of the plunger 90 is provided with a roller 98 which cooperates with a cam I fast on the crank shaft 08 and which is disposed between spaced hubs I02 of the bracket 94 as shown in Fig. 1. A spring I04 may be provided for urging the roller against its cam.

Thus, during each cycle of operation of the machine, the plunger 64 is caused to descend into the upper end of the sleeve and the opposing plunger 00 is caused to be elevated into the lower end of the sleeve compressing the material between them to effect a relatively high degree of compression and to reduce the material to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container into which it is to be subsequently inserted.

In a commercial embodiment of the invention. cited by way of example in order to define the relative proportions of the parts and the amount of compression to which the material is preferably subjected, the container in which the material is to be deposited is 4 /4 inches high and 2% x 4% inches in transverse cross section. The sleeves I2 into which the material is compressed are approximately 12 inches high and the inside dimensions are 2% x 4 Inches. The funnel extension 32 in alignment with the sleeve at station A extends a sufficient distance to permit a column of material approximately 22 inches high to be formed when deposited in its loose and expanded condition. In the operation of the machine, the material is initially compressed or tamped at station A to about 1% inches below the top of the sleeve to form a column approximately 10% inches high. During the period of operation in which the sleeve with its Initially compressed material is moved to the next station or operation, the material will expand somewhat toward the top of the sleeve but not enough to rise above the top. At the final compression station B. the material is compressed until it is reduced to approximately 2 inches in height, the lower plunger moving upwardly about 1 inch and the upper plunger 84 moving down into the sleeve about 9 inches. and, upon withdrawing the opposed plungers, the compressed material remains suspended within the sleeve. as shown in Fig. 5., In order to enable the sleeve to withstand the relatively great pressure to which the material is subjected by the cooperating compressing members 04, 00, the sleeve is reenforced at the point of maximum lateral pressure by an enlarged wall thickness I05 which may be formed integrally therewith, as shown. or which may comprise a separate band welded about the sleeve.

The carrier plate I0 is then intermittently moved to present the sleeve I2 with its compressed material to the electing station C, and, during this period or operation, the compressed material expands vertically to about 3 /2 inches in height. As herein shown, the ejecting device comprises an ejecting block I08 mounted on the end of a rod I08 which is arranged to be reciprocated through the sleeve I! to eject the material therefrom and into a container supported therebeneath. The rod I08 is attached at its upper end to a slide member I I0 arranged to be vertically reciprocated in a bracket H2 attached to the machine frame. The slidemember H0 is connected by a link I I4 to a lever IIB pivotally mounted at II! in a bracket I20 also attached to the machine frame and the lever III is connected intermediate its ends by a link I21 to the upper shaft 80 of the final compressing mechanism, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As herein illustrated, the compressed material is ejected through a stationary guide member I24 secured to the bracket 20 and disposed in alignment with the bottom of the sleeve, and. in practice the operator places the open end of the container about the outside of the guide I24 to receive the elected block of material. The inside dimensions of the guide member are preferably slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of the sleeve I2 in order to provide clearance for the compressed material during its ejection and so that the block may fall by gravity through the guide and into the container upon its release from the sleeve, and also to allow for any immediate increase in transverse cross sectional dimensions of the material due to expansion thereof when released from the sleeve.

As above stated, the compressed material when ejected into the 4%; inches high container has already expanded to about 3% inches in height so that there is approximately inch clearance at the top of the container and, because of lateral expansion, slightly less than {A inch clearance around the inside of the container. It has been found that within 3 to 5 minutes the compressed block of material will further expand to com pletely fill the container, and, in order to arrest expansion beyond the confines of the package, the top flaps of the carton are preferably immediately closed and sealed upon removal from the guide member I24. In practice, this operation may be performed by a suitable top closing and sealing machine to which the operator feeds the filled container immediately upon receiving its load. The above described proportions, included by way of example, were found appropriate for compressing and packaging one pound of dehydrated cranberries, and, in practice, best results were obtained when the latter were heated to a temperature between 85 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It will be understood however that for other materials, different proportions and different degrees of heat may be used if found desirable.

As best shown in Fig. 2 the machine may be driven by an electric motor I26 connected by a belt I28 to a pulley I30 loosely mounted on the extended end of the rocker shaft 56. A sprocket I32 formed integrally with the pulley I80 is connected by a chain I34 to a sprocket I36 fast on a short shaft I38. The shaft I36 is provided with a pinion I40 which is in mesh with an idler gear I42 loosely mounted on the cam shaft 62 and a pinion I44 formed integrally with the gear I42 meshes with a large gear I46 fast on the crank shaft 88 to drive the latter. The crank shaft 08 is operatively connected to the cam shaft 62 by cooperating gears I48, I50, each gear being fast on its respective shaft.

The mechanism for intermittently rotating the carrier plate I0 comprises the indexing device 80 which includes an indexing ratchet I52 fast on a shaft I54 arranged to be intermittently rotated by connections including a driving pawl I56 carried by an arm I58 rockingly mounted on the shaft I54. The arm I58 is connected by a link I60 to a crank arm I62 fast on a. short shaft I64 journaled in the machine frame. As best shown in Fig. 2, the shaft I64 is driven by intermeshing gears I66, I68, the gear I66 being formed integrally with the idler gear I42 on the cam shaft 62, the gear I68 being formed integrally with the crank arm I62. In operation, the pawl carrying arm I58 is rocked to engage the pawl I56 with one of the indexing notches I in the ratchet thus effecting intermittent rotation of the shaft I54. As above described the rotation of the shaft I54 is transmitted to the carrier plate I0 by the bevel gears 26, 28.

Provision is made for controlling the operation of the indexing device to effect intermittent operation of the spider in timed relation to the operation of the filling, compressing and ejecting mechanisms. As herein shown, a second pawl I12 mounted on a stationary pivot I14 is disposed to engage one of the notches I10 to stop rotation at the end of the forward stroke of the driving pawl I66. Each pawl I66, I1: is provided with a tail portion I16, I18 respectively, arranged to be tripped by rollers I80 carried on the ends of a T-shaped pawl controlling arm I82 pivotally mounted on the shaft I84, the rollers being arranged to effect disengagement of one of the pawls when the other is engaged with the indexing ratchet I62. The arm I82 is arranged to be rocked by a cam I84 fast on the crank shaft 88 through connections including a two armed lever pivotally mounted in a bracket I86 attached to the machine frame. One 'arm I86 of the two armed lever carries a roller I80 cooperating with the cam I84, and, the second arm I82 is connected by a link I84 to an arm I86 forming a part-of the pawl tripping arm I82, as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus, in operation when the arm I82 is rocked clockwise, the stationary pawl I12 is raised out of its notch and the driving pawl I56 is released to advance the indexing ratchet when the crank arm I62 is operated. Before the end of the advancing stroke, the upper pawl I12 is released to engage a subsequent notch in the ratchet and arrest movement thereof beyond the point of registration therewith. Upon the return stroke of the driving pawl I56 it is engaged by the arm I82 to hold the driving pawl out of engagement with its ratchet until the arm is again rocked in a clockwise direction. In order to effect a relatively quick movement of the spider from one station of operation to the next the crank movement may be such as to rotate the carrier plate I0 during one quarter of a cycle of operation, the remaining three-fourths of a cycle being taken up by the filling, compressing and ejecting operations. For this reason, the crank arm I62 is geared to permit four revolutions per cycle of operation, only one of such revolutions being effective to rotate the carrier plate I0 as controlled by the cam I84 and the pawl controlling arm I82.

A third pawl I68, pivotally mounted in a bracket 200 attached to the machine frame is arranged to engage a notch I10 at the end of each advancing stroke in order to prevent backlash.

From the above description it will be observed that the present packaging machine is capable 'of compressing a relatively large bulk of a loose and expanded commodity and of depositing the compressed commodity into a relatively small container. As above stated, the machine may be used with advantage for the packaging of dehydrated foods, and, in practice, a predetermined weighed load of such commodity in its loose and expanded condition may occupy a space approximately five times as great as the capacity of the container in which it is to be packaged.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has beenherein illustrated and described it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a packaging machine for use in filling a container with a compressed commodity, in combination, an elongated movable sleeve having an internal cross sectional area slightly less, than that of the container to be filled, means for depositing a commodity in a loose and expanded condition into said elongated sleeve to form a column thereof substantially greater in height than said container, a stationary plate forming a closure for the bottom of said sleeve during the filling of the sleeve and during subsequent movement thereof, said plate having two spaced openings therein, means for moving said sleeve into alignment with successive of said openings, means for compressing said commodity within the sleeve including a pair of reciprocably mounted opposing plungers arranged to enter said sleeve from both ends to compact the commodity to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container, one of said plungers passing through one opening in the plate and movable to a position above the stationary plate whereby the compressed charge is above said plate, and means for ejecting the compressed commodity through said sleeve and through the second opening whereby to permit it to be deposited into a container.

2. In a packaging machine for use in filling a container with a compressed commodity, in combination, an elongated movable sleeve having an internal cross sectional area slightly less than that of the container to be filled, means for depositing a commodity in its loose and expanded condition into said elongated sleeve to form a column thereof substantially greater in height than said container, a stationary plate forming a closure for the bottom of said sleeve during the filling operation and during subsequent movement thereof, said plate having two spaced openings therein, means for moving said sleeve into alignment with successive of said openings, means for initially compressing the commodity to dispose the level thereof below the top of said sleeve comprising a reciprocably mounted presser cooperating with said plate, a pair of reciprocably mounted opposing plungers arranged to enter said sleeve from both ends to compact the commodity to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container, one of said plungers passing through one of said openings in the plate, and means for ejecting the compressed commodity through said sleeve and through the second opening to permit it to be deposited into a container.

3. In a packaging machine for use in filling a container with a compressed commodity, in combination, an elongated sleeve having an internal cross sectional area slightly less than that of the container to be filled, means for depositing a commodity in its loose and expanded condition into said elongated sleeve to form a column thereof substantially greater in height than said container, a pair of reciprocably mounted opposing plungers arranged to enter said sleeve from both ends to engage and compact the commodity therebetween to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container, said sleeve being reinforced at the point of maximum lateral pressure adjacent the reduced mass within the sleeve, and means for ejecting the compressed commodity through said sleeve to permit it to be received in a container held below the sleeve.

4. In a packaging machine for use in filling a container with a compressed commodity, in combination, an intermittently rotatable carrier provided with a plurality of upstanding elongated sleeves fixedly mounted thereon, each having an internal cross sectional area slightly less than the container to be filled, a filling station for depositing a commodity in a loose and expanded conditlon into said elongated sleeves to form a column thereof substantially greater in height than said container, a stationary plate formin a l u e I the bottoms of said sleeves at the filling station and during their movement from one station of operation to the next, compressing means including a pair of reciprocably mounted opposing plungers arranged to enter a sleeve from both ends to engage and compact the commodity therebetween to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container said stationary plate having an opening at the compressing station through which one of said plungers is extended, and means for ejecting the compressed commodity through said sleeve and through a second opening in said plate to permit it to be deposited in a container.

5. In a packaging machine for use in filling a container with a compressed commodity. in combination, an intermittently rotatable carrier provided with a plurality of upstanding elongated sleeves fixedly mounted thereon, each having an internal cross sectional area slightly less than that of the container to be filled, sleeve filling means, including a stationary funnel having its lower portion of substantially the same cross sectional area as and in alignment with. one of said sleeves to form an extension thereof for depositing a commodity in a loose and expanded condition into said sleeve and said extension to form a column thereof many times greater in height than the container, a reciprocably mounted tamping bar arranged to clear said funnel and to confine the commodity within said sleeve, a stationary plate forming a closure for the bottoms of said sleeves at the filling station and during their movement from one station of operation to another, and provided with spaced openings, compressing means including a pair of reciprocably mounted opposing plungers arranged to enter said sleeve from both ends to engage and compact the commodity therebetween to a size substantially less than the capacity of the container and positioned in said sleeve above said place, one of said plungers passing through said opening in said plate, and means for ejecting the compressed commodity through said sleeve and through a second opening in said plate to permit it to be deposited in a container.

ARMIN G. HAUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,114,256 Gwinn Oct. 20, 1914 1,757,370 Kilian May 6, 1930 2,057,121 Trevellyan Oct. 13, 1936 2,336,415 Nordquist Dec. 7, 1943 2,358,001 Gross et al Sept. 12, 1944 

